Typically, gas turbine engines include a plurality of injectors for injecting fuel into a combustor to mix with air upstream of a flame zone. The fuel injectors of conventional turbine engines may be arranged in one of at least three different schemes. Fuel injectors may be positioned in a lean premix flame system in which fuel is injected in the air stream far enough upstream of the location at which the fuel/air mixture is ignited that the air and fuel are completely mixed upon burning in the flame zone. Fuel injectors may also be configured in a diffusion flame system such that fuel and air are mixed and burned simultaneously. In yet another configuration, often referred to as a partially premixed system, fuel injectors may inject fuel upstream of the flame zone a sufficient distance that some of the air is mixed with the fuel. Partially premixed systems are combinations of a lean premix flame system and a diffusion flame system.
Typically, gas turbine engines configured to burn syngas include a combustor configured to burn syngas formed basically of H2 and CO and a diluent such as N2 or steam. The combustors are often a derivative of diffusion flame burners and burn a temperatures close to the stoichiometric flame temperatures, which increases the thermal load on the combustor basket, leading to damage of the combustor basket. Combustors configured to burn syngas are typically not configured to burn other fuel sources, thereby limiting potential fuels from possible use. Thus, a need exists for a fuel system capable of handling a more diverse selection of fuels.